The Scientist
by AngelEmperor
Summary: Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry, You don't know how lovely you are... Oh, I'm going back to the start...  Songfic based on The Scientist by Coldplay; LelouchxSuzaku; Spoilers for final episode


A Songfic for Coldplay's "The Scientist" I was struck with inspiration after listening to it. Takes place after the conversation Lelouch and Suzaku had in the final episode wherein Lelouch gives the Zero mask to Suzaku. Thank you, and please enjoy!

As usual, I don't own Code Geass or its characters.

* * *

Months of planning, work, and altogether luck had come down to this day. Lelouch supposed he could watch the time and count it down, hour by hour, but easily decided not to. Before he left his room, he took a last glance at the ornate clock on the wall.

The hallways felt longer. When he at last walks into the throne room, it's empty and unlit, apart from the few beams of light colored by stained glass streaming down onto the hard floor. He stopped to the right of throne itself and stood there, until the expected light from the hallway poured in. He greeted him with a soft friendly voice.

"Suzaku."

_Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry_

_You don't know how lovely you are_

They'd planned this meeting for some time now, but neither thought that it would feel so surreal to be there. It had been but a distant thought until today. The two stood several feet apart and Lelouch began to go over all of it one more time, once and for all. After today, it'd all be over, and they'd both be gone.

Suzaku listened to the best of his ability. They both knew that this was only formal, only to be completely sure. The knight already knew every detail and repeated it to himself each day.

"You're certain that you can do this, right?" Lelouch asked after finishing.

Suzaku closed his eyes. "You have my word."

Lelouch half-chuckled. 'I know." His eyes were apologetic. "Forgive me."

_I had to find you_

_Tell you I need you_

_Tell you I've set you apart_

"I've chosen to bear this sin, there's no need to apologize." Suzaku replied in whisper.

"There are too many things I wish to apologize for." Lelouch's smile was small and regretful. "Fate wasn't kind to us."

Their sad eyes met, in a silent agreement to his statement. Suzaku shook his head sadly, and loosely clenched his empty fist.

"Lelouch. I never wanted things to play out the way they did. If I could, I would go back…"

"…And change it."

_Tell me your secrets_

_And ask me your questions_

_Oh, let's go back to the start_

In the silence that followed, both kept their heads down, with weary expressions etched onto their faces and with similar thoughts of all the regrets, all the mistakes, all the questions left to ask, all the things left unsaid over two years, and all of the things that could only be said right now.

"There won't be any more chances beyond this." Lelouch spoke as he lifted his head, to meet Suzaku's gaze. "So let's put everything else to rest."

_Running in circles_

_Coming up tails_

_Heads on the science apart_

Lelouch had thought it many times: "We can accomplish anything, when we join hands." Yet their ideals, their mistakes, and their choices continually kept them apart and undoubtedly changed their relationship for good. He couldn't help but wonder, had he said something else, had he done something different, would things have been easier between them over the past few years? But that was all in the past.

Now their footsteps echoed in the empty chamber as they walked closer to one another before stopping about two feet apart.

"I've made a lot of mistakes, Suzaku."

"You aren't alone in that." Suzaku reached his hand out to Lelouch's arm. "We're going to make up for that today."

_Nobody said it was easy_

_It's such a shame for us to part_

_Nobody said it was easy_

_No one ever said it would be this hard_

"Yes… We'll start over. And even more importantly… we'll end these wars." Shifting slightly, he placed his hand on Suzaku's. "When I started my rebellion, I was prepared for the consequences. I was ready for the worse and yet…" He shook his head. "Look at what happened and everything I've done because of it. I reached a point where more things were going wrong than right. Every loss led to a mistake and each mistake led to another."

_Oh take me back to the start_

"It wouldn't feel right to ignore the blood on my hands. This was my decision; you should take no responsibility for it. Don't hold it against yourself."

Suzaku's look of resignation was a better answer than words could ever be.

_I was just guessing_

_At numbers and figures_

_Pulling the puzzles apart_

"Are you happy… with where we are now?"

"Absolutely." Lelouch answered. He could tell his friend didn't feel the same way. "There are many things I would change about the past, but we can't do that. We can only make the best of what has transpired under these circumstances. I want do this. Therefore… I am happy."

_Questions of science_

_Science and progress_

_Do not speak as loud as my heart_

Suzaku gazed up at the ceiling. "I wish I could be."

"… I'm not surprised…" Lelouch replied. "But I seek a better future. I always have. And we both seek atonement, that's why I asked you to kill me."

With eyes fixed on the mask in his hand, Suzaku answered. "I understand. And I'll do it, just like I said I would."

"There's one other reason. You're the only one who I know _can_ do it."

_Oh tell me you love me_

_Come back and haunt me_

_Oh and I rush to the start_

"Can…?"

"I trust in you." Lelouch wrapped his arms around Suzaku, for comfort, for expressing an unsaid feeling that accompanied his words. "I believe that you can do it. I think… you're the only one who can." Suzaku returned the embrace slowly.

"I will."

Lelouch placed his fingers on Suzaku's cheek and wiped away the tear, letting his fingers delay leaving for as long as he could.

_Running in circles_

_Chasing our tails_

_Coming back as we are_

"Are you ready to end this?"

"…Yes."

Lelouch broke from the embrace his hand lingering briefly on Suzaku's arm and stepped away.

_Nobody said it was easy_

_Oh, it's such a shame for us to part_

_Nobody said it was easy_

_No one ever said it would be so hard_

Lelouch began to walk towards the door, keeping his back to Suzaku the entire way. The next time he would see him, things would be completely different.

"Suzaku."

His knight was already facing him, at attention.

"Thank you. For… everything."

Suzaku was momentarily speechless. "Yes… your majesty." He bowed slightly with his arm across his chest, before lowering it and returning to a normal stance.

Lelouch relaxed, his eyes shimmering.

"You're… not just a friend." He whispered, then tuned away.

"I love you… as well."

Lelouch smiled softly. "I'll… see you."

Suzaku nodded a little. "…See you."

And he left without another word.

_I'm going back to the start_


End file.
